Vulvodynia is a prevalent form of chronic pain, most commonlyaffecting the vaginal vestibule (vestibulodynia) (Pukallet al., 2016). Women with vulvodynia describe intense pain inresponse to light touch of the affected region, such that sexualfunction and other activities can be severely limited. Medicalcosts associated with vulvodynia are high, exceeding $21 billionannually in the United States (Xie et al., 2012). The high level ofdirect medical costs has been linked to high treatment failurerates. Many women with the disorder consult multiple practitionersand undergo multiple courses of treatment with limitedbenefit.
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